Magic 02 DCI Finals. Not only full body chills but it made my arms jump out in front of me and spazz out in all directions from the horn hits. I just wasn't ready for that so early in the night or maybe ever.

Renegades 03 DCA Finals, end of show. OMG the place just came apart.

Star 93 DCI Final. Whoa!!!

Phantom '03 DCI Finals Thanks for the extra counts at the end. Extended my life by years.

Your Favorite Drum Corps Season:A tie - 2008, for my first Finals, and 2001, because that's the year that turned me on to the activity.

Gender:Male

Location:Cincinnati, OH

Interests:All things DC-related! Plus The Missus and I (in the photo above - in the company box for a baseball game at the now-demolished Cinergy Field/Riverfront Stadium) are avid readers, bicycle riders, workout partners, and we have fun going to Reds ballgames and really enjoy our home music collection! I'm also heavily into vocal music (church choir), basketball, golf and gaming both on the PC and Wii platforms.
I am a former band director now doing computer work for a living. Just got on the DC "bandwagon" (pun intended) with the 2001 finals on PBS. My whole family (me, plus The Missus and four grown daughters) instantly fell in love with the activity, especially the Cavies', BD's and The Cadets' shows!
3 of my 4 girls took after their Dad and were in marching band in high school (the 4th is a string player - they don't march very often). My youngest two (twins) had a very strong senior year - one was an undefeated drum major the 2001 fall season (small school DM beating even the behemoth schools in ALL shows) and the other was the trumpet section leader, and was named Marcher of the Year at the end of the season.
I had seen snippets of DCI Finals on PBS over the years, but really didn't pay much attention, much to my newly-discovered detriment. Now that I've been out of the music profession for 20+ years, I found from the 2001 finals show just how much of it I missed, and this activity has re-awakened what I used to refer to in my college marching band (Ohio Univ.) days as the "Saturday Morning Fire" - that nervy, antsy feeling of anticipation (and the almost physical need to get out there and kick some serious butt) before taking the field for a pregame or halftime show, the thrill of performing, and the after-glow euphoria of a well-done show. I identify so strongly with all these kids, regardless of ability level. I laugh, scream and feel right along with them, to the point of being moved to tears of poignancy on more than one occasion (i.e. Boston Crusaders' "living flag" in 2002), or of sheer joy (end of BD's 2001 and 2002 shows and 2008's Spartacus show from PR - WOW!).
My media collection of DCI and individual corps CDs and DVDs is starting to develop into something - 7 sets of CDs, 6 VHS tapes and last 10 years' Div. I Champs DVD sets plus the Cavaliers' Championship shows DVD set that I bought at Indy 2003. DVD acquisitions also include the DCI Classic Countdown for both 2005 and 2006 - package deal was too good to pass up. For Xmas 2006, besides that year's Finals DVD set, Santa also landed Legacy years 1988, 1989 and 1992. I also scored the Div. I Championships 3-CD sets for 2000 and 2001. Another more recent acquisition is the 2006 Madison Scouts Alumni Reunion Project CD/DVD set - and I can report it is AWESOME! Latest acquisitions - 2009-2010 Top 12 Finals Div. I DVDs, 2008-09 13-21 Div. I and 2008-09 Div. II-III DVDS, Legacy years from 1975, 1991 and 1993.
I've been to 7 shows in our area since our 2001 "indoctrination". Fairfield 2002 (Cadets! BWBB! Need I say more?), Harrison 2003 (Phantom Regiment! Phenomenal show!! Plus, the Madison Scouts showed everyone there that they are back!) and Harrison 2004 (PR again in a big way!). And Fairfield 2004 on 7/28. Met Jami, Brandi and Allaina from DCP at that show! Harrison 2005 featured another get-together with Allaina (now a Bluecoat), plus a certain Bluecoat alum who used to go by "Ted Striker" here on DCP - the one and only dude who practically lived my life about 18 years after I did. Fairfield 2006 had a great matchup between Bloo and Phantom, with Bloo taking a big win right after Phantom had knocked off Cadets. Fairfield 2007 had Cadets edging out Bloo, with a show I liked the best of any of theirs since 2004. Bloo was solid - OMG the contras! - but Cadets just a shade stronger.
Also, in 2005, The Missus and I were at Louisville, where we had the extreme pleasure to meet up with MCL_Contra and blueskysop, AKA Scott and Laurie Ford, with Music City Legend, who played the opening show of the evening!
DCI 2008 was the most awesome drum corps experience of my life! Phantom and Crown were my two favorite shows, followed by SCV and Bloo. Spartacus is now my all-time favorite show! Got to meet so many DCPeeps there that there ain't enough room here to mention.
Also went to Indy in 2009 for the week, and 2011 for Finals Night only. In 2009, it was SCV and the Ballet for Martha that grabbed my heart and wouldn't let it go. In 2011, the whole lineup was the strongest set of 12 shows I ever had the pleaseure to witness. Between those two years, I also met up with quite an additional number of DCPeeps, again more than this space can hold.

Very honorable mentions go to the Blue Devils 1999? (I think - Rhythms at the End of Time or whatever it was called - way to go color guard), Phantom Regiment 1993/1994, Cavaliers 50th anniversary show, MADISON 1982 rifles--BEST. EVER. Regiment's Spartacus years

1. 88 Madison - from the mello solo to the end...this MUST be listened to with headphones. No I didn't see it live but is still my top pick. Would pay anything to go back in time and experience that moment!

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